derues-第14章

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　an　the　walls　of　the　alcove。　　There　came　a　lull　in　the　wind；　the　rain　ceased；　and　during　this　instant　of　calm　someone　knocked；　at　first　gently；　and　then　sharply；　at　the　outer　door。　　Derues　dropped　the　dying　woman's　hand　and　bent　forward　to　listen。　　The　knock　was　repeated；　and　he　grew　pale。　　He　threw　the　sheet；　as　if　it　were　a　shroud；　over　his　victim's　head　drew　the　curtains　of　the　alcove；　and　went　to　the　door。　　〃Who　is　there？〃　he　inquired。

〃Open；　Monsieur　Derues；〃　said　a　voice　which　he　recognised　as　that　of　a　woman　of　Chartres　whose　affairs　he　managed；　and　who　had　entrusted　him　with　sundry　deeds　in　order　that　he　might　receive　the　money　due　to　her。　　This　woman　had　begun　to　entertain　doubts　as　to　Derues'　honesty；　and　as　she　was　leaving　Paris　the　next　day；　had　resolved　to　get　the　papers　out　of　his　hands。

〃Open　the　door；〃　she　repeated。　　〃Don't　you　know　my　voice？〃

〃I　am　sorry　I　cannot　let　you　in。　　My　servant　is　out：　she　has　taken　the　key　and　locked　the　door　outside。〃

〃You　must　let　me　in；〃　the　woman　continued；　〃it　is　absolutely　necessary　I　should　speak　to　you。〃

〃Come　to…morrow。〃

〃I　leave　Paris　to…morrow；　and　I　must　have　those　papers　to…night。〃

He　again　refused；　but　she　spoke　firmly　and　decidedly。　　〃I　must　come　in。　　The　porter　said　you　were　all　out；　but；　from　the　rue　des　Menetriers　I　could　see　the　light　in　your　room。　　My　brother　is　with　me；　and　I　left　him　below。　　I　shall　call　him　if　you　don't　open　the　door。〃

〃Come　in；　then；〃　said　Derues；　〃your　papers　are　in　the　sitting…room。　Wait　here；　and　I　will　fetch　them。〃　　The　woman　looked　at　him　and　took　his　hand。　　〃Heavens！　how　pale　you　are！　　What　is　the　matter？〃

〃Nothing　is　the　matter：　will　you　wait　here？　　〃But　she　would　not　release　his　arm；　and　followed　him　into　the　sitting…room；　where　Derues　began　to　seek　hurriedly　among　the　various　papers　which　covered　a　table。　　〃Here　they　are；〃　he　said；　〃now　you　can　go。〃

〃Really；〃　said　the　woman；　examining　her　deeds　carefully；　〃never　yet　did　I　see　you　in　such　a　hurry　to　give　up　things　which　don't　belong　to　you。　　But　do　hold　that　candle　steadily；　your　hand　is　shaking　so　that　I　cannot　see　to　read。〃

At　that　moment　the　silence　which　prevailed　all　round　was　broken　by　a　cry　of　anguish；　a　long　groan　proceeding　from　the　chamber　to　the　right　of　the　sitting…room。

〃What　is　that？〃　cried　the　woman。　　〃Surely　it　is　a　dying　person！〃

The　sense　of　the　danger　which　threatened　made　Derues　pull　himself　together。　　〃Do　not　be　alarmed；〃　he　said。　　〃My　wife　has　been　seized　with　a　violent　fever；　she　is　quite　delirious　now；　and　that　is　why　I　told　the　porter　to　let　no　one　come　up。〃

But　the　groans　in　the　next　room　continued；　and　the　unwelcome　visitor；　overcome　by　terror　which　she　could　neither　surmount　nor　explain；　took　a　hasty　leave；　and　descended　the　staircase　with　all　possible　rapidity。　　As　soon　as　he　could　close　the　door；　Derues　returned　to　the　bedroom。

Nature　frequently　collects　all　her　expiring　strength　at　the　last　moment　of　existence。　　The　unhappy　lady　struggled　beneath　her　coverings；　the　agony　she　suffered　had　given　her　a　convulsive　energy；　and　inarticulate　sounds　proceeded　from　her　mouth。　　Derues　approached　and　held　her　on　the　bed。　　She　sank　back　on　the　pillow；　shuddering　convulsively；　her　hands　plucking　and　twisting　the　sheets；　her　teeth　chattering　and　biting　the　loose　hair　which　fell　over　her　face　and　shoulders。　　〃Water！　water！〃　she　cried；　and　then；　〃Edouard；my　husband！Edouard！is　it　you？〃　Then　rising　with　a　last　effort；　she　seized　her　murderer　by　the　arm；　repeating；　〃Edouard！oh！〃　and　then　fell　heavily；　dragging　Derues　down　with　her。　　His　face　was　against　hers；　he　raised　his　head；　but　the　dying　hand；　clenched　in　agony；　had　closed　upon　him　like　a　vise。　The　icy　fingers　seemed　made　of　iron　and　could　not　be　opened；　as　though　the　victim　had　seized　on　her　assassin　as　a　prey；　and　clung　to　the　proof　of　his　crime。

Derues　at　last　freed　himself；　and　putting　his　hand　on　her　heart；　〃It　is　over；〃　he　remarked；　〃she　has　been　a　long　time　about　it。　　What　o'clock　is　it？　　Nine！　　She　has　struggled　against　death　for　twelve　hours！〃

While　the　limbs　still　retained　a　little　warmth；　he　drew　the　feet　together；　crossed　the　hands　on　the　breast；　and　placed　the　body　in　the　chest。　　When　he　had　locked　it　up；　he　remade　the　bed；　undressed　himself；　and　slept　comfortably　in　the　other　one。

The　next　day；　February　1st；　the　day　he　had　fixed　for　the　〃going　out〃　of　Madame　de　Lamotte；　he　caused　the　chest　to　be　placed　on　a　hand…cart　and　carried　at　about　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning　to　the　workshop　of　a　carpenter　of　his　acquaintance　called　Mouchy；　who　dwelt　near　the　Louvre。　　The　two　commissionaires　employed　had　been　selected　in　distant　quarters；　and　did　not　know　each　other。　　They　were　well　paid；　and　each　presented　with　a　bottle　of　wine。　　These　men　could　never　be　traced。　　Derues　requested　the　carpenter's　wife　to　allow　the　chest　to　remain　in　the　large　workshop；　saying　he　had　forgotten　something　at　his　own　house；　and　would　return　to　fetch　it　in　three　hours。　　But；　instead　of　a　few　hours；　he　left　it　for　two　whole　dayswhy；　one　does　not　know；　but　it　may　be　supposed　that　he　wanted　the　time　to　dig　a　trench　in　a　sort　of　vault　under　the　staircase　leading　to　the　cellar　in　the　rue　de　la　Mortellerie。　　Whatever　the　cause；　the　delay　might　have　been　fatal；　and　did　occasion　an　unforeseen　encounter　which　nearly　betrayed　him。　　But　of　all　the　actors　in　this　scene　he　alone　knew　the　real　danger　he　incurred；　and　his　coolness　never　deserted　him　for　a　moment。

The　third　day；　as　he　walked　alongside　the　handcart　on　which　the　chest　was　being　conveyed；　he　was　accosted　at　Saint　Germain　1'Auxerrois　by　a　creditor　who　had　obtained　a　writ　of　execution　against　him；　and　at　the　imperative　sign　made　by　this　man　the　porter　stopped。　　The　creditor　attacked　Derues　violently；　reproaching　him　for　his　bad　faith　in　language　which　was　both　energetic　and　uncomplimentary；　to　which　the　latter　replied　in　as　conciliatory　a　manner　as　he　could　assume。　　But　it　was　impossible　to　silence　the　enemy；　and　an　increasing　crowd　of　idlers　began　to　assemble　round　them。

〃When　will　you　pay　me？〃　demanded　the　creditor。　　〃I　have　an　execution　against　you。　　What　is　there　in　that　box？　　Valuables　which　you　cart　away　secretly；　in　order　to　laugh　at　my　just　claims；　as　you　did　two　years　ago？〃

Derues　shuddered　all　over；　he　exhausted　himself　in　protestations；　but　the　other；　almost　beside　himself；　continued　to　shout。

〃Oh！〃　he　said；　turning　to　the　crowd；　〃all　these　tricks　and　grimaces　and　signs　of　the　cross　are　no　good。　　I　must　have　my　money；　and　as　I　know　what　his　promises　are　worth；　I　will　pay　myself！　　Come；　you　knave；　make　haste。　　Tell　me　what　there　is　in　that　box；　open　it；　or　I　will　fetch　the　police。〃

The　crowd　was　divided　between　the　creditor　and　debtor；　and　possibly　a　free　fight　would　have　begun；　but　the　general　attention　was　distracted　by　the　arrival　of　another　spectator。　　A　voice　heard　above　all　the　tumult　caused　a　score　of　heads　to　turn；　it　was　the　voice　of　a　woman　crying：

〃The　abominable　history　of　Leroi　de　Valine；　condemned　to　death　at　the　age　of　sixteen　for　having　poisoned　his　entire　family！〃

Continually　crying　her　wares；　the　drunken；　staggering　woman　approached　the　crowd；　and　striking　out　right　and　left　with　fists　and　elbows；　forced　her　way　to　Derues。

〃Ah！　ah！〃　said　she；　after　looking　him　well　over；　〃is　it　you；　my　gossip　Derues！　　Have　you　again　a　little　affair　on　hand　like　the　one　when　you　set　fire　to　your　shop　in　the　rue　Saint…Victor？〃

Derues　recognised　the　hawker　who　had　abused　him　on　the　threshold　of　his　shop　some　years　previously；　and　whom　he　had　never　seen　since。　〃Yes；　yes；〃　she　continued；　〃you　had　better　look　at　me　with　your　little　round　cat's　eyes。　　Are　you　going　to　say　you　don't　know　me？〃

Derues　appealed　to　his　creditor。　　〃You　see；〃　he　said；　〃to　what　insults　you　are　exposing　me。　　I　do　not　know　this　woman　who　abuses　me。〃

〃What！you　don't　know　me！　　You　who　accused　me　of　being　a　thief！　　But　luckily　the　Maniffets　have　been　known　in　Paris　as　honest　people　for　generations；　while　as　for　you〃

〃Sir；〃　said　Derues；　〃this　case　contains　valuable　wine　which　I　am　commissioned　to　sell。　　To…morrow　I　shall　receive　the　money　for　it；　to…morrow；　in　the　course　of　the　day；　I　will　pay　what　I　owe　you。　　But　I　am　waited　for　now；　do